Victorville will become charter city

VICTORVILLE — Final results for Measure P show that Victorville will become a charter city, taking power over municipal affairs and putting it into the hands of the local government.

While there are some federal and state laws that will still govern the city's powers, as a charter city, Victorville will essentially follow its ownconstitution.

The change will allow the city to fight unfunded programs mandated by the state, which Mayor Terry Caldwell has cited as one of the primary reasons for moving to a charter.

The charter will also give Victorville the opportunity to make its own policies regarding election procedures, council member qualifications, campaign financing, council members' salaries, procedures for enacting local ordinances, quorum and voting requirements, bidding procedures for public projects, zoning ordinances and more, according to the League of California Cities.

The Victorville City Council unanimously approved a motion to draft the charter for Victorville becoming a charter city during a special meeting Feb. 26. A draft of the charter was approved during the March 4 council meeting.

While the words of the constitution are weighty, the document isn't. Rather than being hundreds of pages, like charters in San Bernardino and other cities, Victorville's version is just 773 words. This allows the council to enact the charter through this vote of the people, but to add specifics through council motions down the road.

Of California's 478 cities, 108 are charter, including Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Bernardino. The city of Adelanto also became a charter city in November of 1992.